Mind Driving is a hugely important new book launching on 19th September 2006. Use the link above to order your copy today.

See below for a review.

Do you remember who taught you to drive? You should, because Stephen Haley’s remarkable new book “Mind Driving” reveals the surprising answer – you taught yourself. Stephen explains in simple terms exactly the skills you use every day to stay safe on our roads – and they are not the obvious ‘hands and feet’ skills that your driving instructor taught you. Instead they are complex and subtle self-taught mental processes that we use unconsciously – we look for danger, recognise it and actively control it. Stephen points out that there is no alternative because the driver is the only person ‘on the spot’ and in control of the danger.

Stephen Haley’s unique insight will change everything. By revealing the process of safe driving this book can make you a better driver. But the effects are much further reaching than that. Stephen’s book shows us that road safety isn’t about regulations – it’s about the state of mind of our road users. As such it signposts the way forwards to better road safety policy and safer roads.

One important factor is that Steve has come from outside of the existing road safety and driver training industries. As such he has not been constrained by the fairly pervasive dogma that exists in those places. He hopes to put driver skill back where it belongs – at the heart of road safety. He shows us that road safety is mainly about a state of mind.

We are used to telling ourselves that we understand how to be safe on the roads, that we understand how road safety works and that we are good drivers. We have to. If we didn’t believe, the risks of driving would be too big to contemplate. But Mind Driving elevates understanding of these issues to a new plane. You’ll be amazed at what you didn’t know.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It’s well written and plainly understandable. It contains so many new ideas that there is bound to be something of value to everyone from novice to expert and from learner driver to professional. But that’s just the start – this book is all set to change the world. It provides new perspectives on issues of road safety in a way that must inform policy. 

Reading the book will bring you into closer contact with the person who really taught you to drive: yourself. And that, it turns out, is a very good thing indeed.

Paul Smith, founder, Safe Speed road safety campaign.

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• Mind Driving web site